Device for cutting off the heads of turnips.



m. 7l6,965. Patented Dec. 30, i902;

F. van VELTHElM-USTRAU.

DEVICE FOR CUTTING QFF THE HEADS 0F IUBNIPS.

(Application filed Aug. 12, 1901.)

(lo Iodal.) I 2 Sheets-Shoot l.

n4! nonms FEYERS co. PHOTO-LITNQ, msumsrdn, n. c.

No. 7I6,965. Patented-Ugo. 30, I902.

F. VON VELTHElM-USTRAU.

DEVICE FOR CUTTING OFF THE HEADS 0F TUBNIPS.

(Application filed Aug. 12, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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lTFD STATES- FRANZ VON VELTHEIM-OSTRAU, OF KREIS BITTERFELD, GERMANY.

DEVlCE FOR CUTTING OFF THE HEADS OF TURNIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,965, dated December30, 1902.

Application filed August 12, 1901. Serial No. 71.783. (N mod-BL) T0 atwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANZ VON VELTHEIM- OSTRAU, a subject of the Emperorof Germany, residing and having my post-office address at SchlossOstrau, Kreis Bitterfeld, Germany, have invented a certain new anduseful Improved Device for Cutting Off the Heads of Turnips, of whichthe followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to a device adapted to be easily attachedto any mobile agricultural implement; and the purpose thereof is to cutoff the tops or heads of turnips, beet-roots, and the like before thelatter are dug, and with slight modifications to be directly used forremoving weeds growing between rows of turnips or the like and forloosening the soil between such rows.

The main feature of the invention liesin the fact that the cutter notonly adapts itself to irregularities of the soil, but also removes theheads of the turnips or the like at an ala sliding shoe which slidesalong the ground and on ascending an elevation or the like simply raisesthe rod; When the shoe encounters a turnip or the like, it first swingsforward on its pivot, then slides up the turnip, and in doing so itadjusts itself by reason of its revoluble connection with the rod to theshape of the turnip or the height of the head of the latter, and inadvancing farther falls back into the horizontal position, after whichan adjustable knife attached to its rear part cuts off the head of theturnip or the like.

One form of construction of the device is represented in the annexeddrawings attached to a mobile agricultural implement such as is commonlyused for digging turnips and the like. The plowshares used for thispurpose are, however, not represented, to render the drawings morecomprehensible.

Figure 1 represents an elevation of the whole of the apparatus at themoment in of the said rod being movably connected with which the slidingshoe meets a turnip. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3a front view of the new device. Fig. 4. represents a front view, andFig. 5 a side view, partially in section, of the actual cutter. Fig. 6shows the latter in its working position with the knife ready to cut.Fig. 7 represents various forms of knife used for removing weeds or forloosening the soil, and Fig. 8 shows the method of attaching said knifeto the sliding shoe in place of the cutter.

In the form of construction represented two cutters are adjustablyfastened, by means of wrought-iron supports b, to the beam at of theimplement in the required inclined position. When the fastening-nut chas been loosened, the supports 19 can be revolved on the screw 0, andthe cutters thus inclined more or less to the earth. When theattachment-screws d have been loosened, the guides e of the cutters canalso be moved up or down the rear end of said shoe the cutting-knife mis adjustably fastened by means of the attachmentscrew 7c.

The action of the device is as follows: The abutment g is adjusted insuch a manner that the shoe h or the knife on, fastened thereto, almosttouches the ground. When the shoe h meets an elevation of the ground, itascends said elevation and descends on the other side, so that thedevice thus adapts itself to unevennesses of the soil. \Vhen the shoemeets a turnip or the like, it first revolves on its pivot, as shown inFig. 1, and at the same time forces over the head of the turnip in aforward direction. On advancing farther the shoe again assumes ahorizontal position,and in doing so raises the knife 0% at its rear, andthe lattercuts off the head of the turnip with only a small portion ofthe top. The knife on is bent in such a manner that it throws the headout off forward and to the side, and the weight of the shoe his socalculated and distributed that in its resting position it will behorizontal, or approximately so, notwithstanding the weight of the knifeat its rear.

Any suitable number of cutters can be attached to one mobile implement.It is only necessary to arrange the cutters at distances apart equal tothe distances between the rows of turnips or the like.

The foregoing description will render it obvious that the device can beused for remov ing weeds or for loosening the soil between the plantedrows of turnips, potatoes, or the like. For this purpose it issufficient to replace the knife m by a differently-shaped knife, (aso-called cultivation-knife, as shown in Fig. 7.) This knife is attachedto the sliding shoev in the manner shown in Fig. 8. The fact that theshoe passes over all irregularities of the ground has the effect thatthe knife does not bore into the ground, but loosens the surface of thesoil to an always uniform depth and removes the Weeds. If a considerablenumber of the cutters described are attached to a broad implement, aWeedknife of different size or shape (see Fig. 7) can be fixed to eachshoe. Y

What I claim is, in a device of the character indicated 1. Thecombination of a guide, a rod suspended in said guide and adapted tomove longitudinally therein, a sliding shoe revolu bly attached to thelower end of said rod, and a knife attached to the rear end of saidshoe, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a guide, a rod suspended in said guide and adaptedto move longitudinally therein, an adjustable abutment on said rod, asliding shoe revolubly attached to the lower end of said rod, and aknife adjustably attached to the rear end of said shoe, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with a mobile agricultural implement of one or morecutting devices adjustably mounted thereon in an inclined position, eachof said cutting devices consisting of a guide, alongitudinally-adjustable rod suspended in said guide, an adjustableabutment on said rod, a sliding shoe revolubly attached to the lower endof said rod, and a knife adjustably attached to the rear end of saidshoe, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a mobile agri cultural implement of one or morecutting de- Witnesses:

B. H. WARNER, J r., RUDOLPH FRIOKE.

